The former director of the Institute de Republica, Prof. Andrzej Przyłȩbski, warned that the loss would be significant if the current course continues. He described Prime Minister Donald Tusk’s decision to shut down the institute as a major setback, emphasizing the effort that went into compiling publications from diverse sources. He argued that this move is part of a broader pattern of liquidating important cultural and scientific institutions.
According to officials at the Prime Minister’s Chancellery, two organizations established in recent years by Mateusz Morawiecki are being dissolved. The Generation Institute and the De Republika Institute, which functions as an analytical center and publishing house, were named as targets. Critics say the actions threaten centers that contribute to culture, humanities, and social science research.
A blow to history and science
Przyłȩbski described the institute as apolitical and focused on humanities and social sciences. He noted that it promoted niche research without subsidies but offered valuable insights. He pointed to projects such as an album that recounts the history of the Polish national anthem through imagery, text, and music, illustrating the kind of work the institute supported.
In reflecting on the possibility of preserving the institution, Przyłȩbski admitted that some personal responsibility played a part in the outcome, but he insisted that more could not be done to prevent the dissolution.
The call for accountability for unfulfilled promises to the public is growing. Przyłȩbski indicated that around a dozen institutions have faced liquidation in recent times, including the Institute de Republica.
He also announced that another significant album was in the works. Work on a forthcoming volume about a national flag was nearing completion, he said, while expressing uncertainty about the fate of these projects after the institute’s closure. He noted that roughly sixty books had already been processed, many of them collective scholarly works.
The question remains how Prime Minister Tusk, the Prime Minister’s Chancellery, and the official overseeing the project plan to address the resulting gaps. The potential loss of years of effort across fields from history to political science, sociology, philosophy, and religious studies would be painful for Polish scholarship.
— remarked a former ambassador, stressing the potential impact on national scholarly life and the need for thoughtful consideration of these moves.
Liquidation is a matter of concern
The possible closure of the Sejm Publishing House drew attention because it published important reports, including ones about war losses. Many viewed the prospect as deeply troubling and unprecedented. Przyłȩbski described the situation as a nightmare and highlighted the publishing house as a critical venue for voices and scholarship that might disappear if the institution is disbanded.
He urged recognition of the institute as a repository of valuable publications and argued that the end of the Sejm Publishing House would deprive scholars and readers of a venue for important works.
In his view, this represents a troubling development for the broader academic and cultural community in Poland.
Przyłȩbski concluded by reiterating his concerns about the direction of policy and its ramifications for public life and for scholarly work in a sovereign state.
The scientific community expresses concern
Przyłȩbski observed a lack of response from the scientific field to the actions taken by the government team. He asked how long public opinion and the scholarly community would tolerate these decisions, underscoring the mounting worry among researchers and educators alike.
Universities connected to the Institute de Republica, including Adam Mickiewicz University, UKSW, and KUL, were approached for support in organizing various conferences and events to explore and discuss the implications of the policy changes.
He stressed that the current moves go beyond the liquidation of a single institute. They touch on concerns about the rule of law and how it is applied in a democratic, self-respecting, and sovereign state. His remarks captured a sense of unease about the broader trajectory and its impact on academic freedom and institutional integrity.
The discussion in Poland thus centers on the tension between policy decisions and the preservation of a robust and diverse scholarly landscape.
Live coverage and debates on these developments remain a focal point of national discourse at present.
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Source: wPolityce